Alex of Green Gables
by alwaysjalex
Summary: The basic story of Anne and Gil but with various changes, the main being that Anne is a young boy called Alex Gaskarth and Gilbert is Jack Barakat.
1. Chapter One - The Beginning

**CHAPTER ONE**  
**THE BEGINNING**

* * *

Marilla Dawson was cooking in the kitchen of Green Gables on a June day when she heard her brother, Rian, come in. Marilla and Rian had decided to adopt a girl to help around the house so Rian had gone to the train station to pick her up. Marilla stopped cooking abruptly and rushed as fast as her short legs would take her into the parlour to get a glimpse of the girl. She could see the back of her head. She had short brown hair.

"We're back," Rian called to Marilla.

Marilla waited a few seconds so as not to seem eager and then walked over to greet them.

"Who is this?" Marilla asked sharply.

"Well, I think there's been a mistake," Rian began.

"Well, that's obvious. They have sent us a boy. A _boy_," she repeated as though Rian hadn't already realised.

"What do you mean?" the child looked shocked, "Don't you want me?"

Marilla looked down at him and asked, "What's your name?"

"Alex Gaskarth."

"How old are you?"  
"I'll be thirteen in December."

"We'll have to send him back. We need a girl."

"Now, see here, Marilla, I don't think we need to be too harsh on the boy. He could do anything a girl could."

"Stop sympathising with the boy, Rian."

"Could we at least let him stay with us for a week? He's had an awfully rough childhood."

"So you know his life story now?"

"He told me on the drive over."

"Well what is it then? I want to know where this child is from before I open my home to him."

"He was born in-"

"Not from you," Marilla interrupted, "the boy can tell me."

"I was born in Bolingbroke, Nova Scotia. My parents were Peter and Isobella Gaskarth. They were poor and lived in a little yellow house. I've never seen it but I've imagined the house a million times. Mother died of fever when I was just three months old and father died four days later. Mrs Thomas looked after me in Marysville until I was nine even though she was poor and had a drunken husband. One day Mr Thomas was killed falling under a train. His mother offered to take Mrs Thomas and her children in but she didn't want me. Then Mrs Hammond from up the river said she'd take me because I was handy with children after having helped raise four of Mrs Thomas'. Mrs Hammond had eight children. She had twins three times. I lived there for two years until Mr Hammond died and Mrs Hammond divided her children among her relatives and moved to the States. I went to the orphanage in Hopeton because no-one would take me. They didn't want me at the orphanage either because they said they were overcrowded. I was there for four months then you showed up," he gestured to Rian.

"Did you go to school?" Marilla asked.

"Not very much, I went for a little bit when I was seven, for a year with Mrs Hammond and for the whole time I was at the orphanage."

"Were those women, Mrs Thomas and Mrs Hammond," Marilla paused, "good to you?"

"Um," Alex blushed, "they _meant_ to be. They meant to be as good and kind as possible but it's very hard having a drunken husband and three sets of twins, don't you think?"

* * *

Marilla lead Alex up to the bedroom in the east gable, "you'll be sleeping here while you're with us."

Alex looked around the room. It's white washed walls made it look plainer than it already was.

"Thank you for opening your home to me, Mrs Dawson," Alex had learnt he needed to be polite when speaking to people whom he need to impress.

"You can call me Marilla," she said awkwardly, "good night."

Marilla left the room and Alex got changed into his nightgown. He slipped into bed and blew out the candle beside him.

* * *

The week passed slowly. Alex helped Marilla in the house and Rian on the farm. Finally, it was judgement day. Marilla called Alex into the kitchen. She was sitting on a wooden chair covered in faded green paint, leaning on a matching table.

"Can call Rian in?"

"Okay," Alex said as he went outside.

Green Gables was impressive and Alex felt sad that he would probably be gone tomorrow. He walked through the orchard and over to Rian.

"Marilla would like to talk to you inside."

"I sure hope she says that you can stay. She has grown awful fond of you, no matter if she claims otherwise."

Alex felt hopeful. He might get to stay at Green Gables after all.

"Sit down," Marilla said when they entered the kitchen, "both of you."

Alex and Rian sat in wooden chairs by the table and looked tentatively at Marilla.

"You have proven that you can be useful around the house and out in the field but if we were to take you in you'll have to promise that you'll follow my rules, alright?"  
"Are you saying that I can stay?" Alex's smile was too big for his face at the moment.

"If," Marilla emphasised, "you follow the rules."

"I will," Alex exclaimed, jumping up to hug Rian and Marilla, "you won't regret it."


	2. Chapter Two - Alex's Apology

A few days later, Mrs Rachel Lynde came by to see the orphan. Marilla forbade Mrs Lynde to visit in the week earlier claiming that she may 'spook the poor child'. Mrs Lynde was known around town as a busybody. Her house looked onto the only road in and out of Avonlea so she noticed when Rian was riding his buggy out of town last week. She went to see Marilla straight away and found out about the girl they'd be getting. Mrs Lynde had been anxiously waiting for when she'd be able to see the child and was standing on the Dawson's porch, about to knock on the thick green door. When she finally did she had to wait for a minute before Marilla answered.

"Rachel," Marilla smiled, "I thought you'd drop by sooner or later."

"I just wanted to see if this child is worth adopting."

"Well, we've already looked into that and, trust me, they are."

"Where is she?"

"_He_," Marilla corrected, "is washing up in the kitchen."

"He? You mean to tell me that you got a boy?"

"It was a mix up but we'll keep him."

"Who will help you around the house?"

"He can, he isn't stupid, Rachel."

Mrs Lynde pursed her lips and said, "When is he coming? I don't have all day."

"Alex?" Marilla called.

Alex walked into the parlour.

"This is Mrs Lynde. She's a dear old friend of mine and you shall treat her with respect."

"Hi," Alex said as he held out his hand for her to shake.

Mrs Lynde looked down at his extended arm and then at him, "well he is scrawny, isn't he? Not as skinny as that Barakat boy, though. You're going to need to cut that hair and look at that horrible fringe! At least it covers his eyebrows. He certainly is homely."

Alex felt anger rise up inside him, "How dare you call me skinny and ugly! How would you like it if someone said those things about you? How would you like it if someone called you a meddling old goat?"

Alex ran from the room and left Rachel and Marilla standing there, shocked.

"You obviously didn't pick him for his mAlexrs."

"You were too harsh on the boy, Rachel. He's had a hard life so far and you've just given him another bad memory."

"I guess I'll have to be careful about what I say from now on, I could hurt the feelings of an orphan from goodness knows where. I'm not even angry, Marilla, I just feel sorry for you having to raise that child," Mrs Lynde said as she left the house.

Marilla stood still for a few seconds before turning to go up the stairs to Alex's room.

"What could that boy have been thinking?" She said to herself as she knocked on Alex's door.

"Yes?" Alex voice sounded choked up.

Marilla entered the room to see Alex's little body lying on the bed, he was obviously upset.

"That was a nice way to behave. Aren't you ashamed of yourself?"

"I didn't say anything nearly as bad as she did," Alex wiped the tears from his eyes with his sleeve.

"Well, no, but she is my friend, not to mention a guest in this house. You have to apologise to her."

"Please don't make me apologise, Marilla. I'll do anything else. You can send me away, just don't make me apologise."

"It's a bit late to send you away. You will be seeing Mrs Lynde for the rest of your time at Green Gables so you have to apologise."

"Do I have to mean it?"

"She has to _think_ you mean it."

Alex wiped his nose and said, "Can we go now? I don't want to have time to change my mind."

"You need to fix yourself up, first," Marilla handed Alex a handkerchief.

* * *

"Do you remember what you need to say?" Marilla asked Alex as they arrived at the Lynde's house.

Alex nodded as Marilla knocked on the door. Mrs Lynde answered soon after.

"Yes?" she said.

"Alex has something to say to you."

"Um," Alex fidgeted, "I'm sorry about what I said to you. You didn't deserve to be called a meddling old goat."

"Well, I forgive you, child. I guess I was a little too hard on you. I knew a boy who was every bit as skinny as you but when he grew up he filled out."

"Thank you," Alex smiled as he and Marilla left.

* * *

"You should meet some of the neighbourhood children, Alex. I'm going up to the Barry's farm this afternoon, you should come and meet their daughter, Diana."

"I'd love to, Marilla," Alex smiled.

"Mrs Barry is a good woman. I don't want to see another of your…outbursts."

* * *

Diana and Alex had clicked from the moment they met. They both had similar personalities but they were different enough to keep conversations interesting. Diana had told Alex all about the other children in town and about their school. Alex was to start at the Avonlea School in under a week and he was nervous.

"I suppose Jack Barakat will be in your class. He's awfully handsome and he teases the girls to no end," Diana said, "He's used to being head of his class, I can tell you. He's only in the fourth book although he's nearly fifteen. Four years ago his father was sick and had to go out to Alberta for his health and Jack went with him. They were there for three years and he hardly went to school."

"Good," said Alex quickly, "I don't want to be the only one behind."


	3. Chapter Three - Enter Jack

_Sorry this chapter and the previous two are so short. The next chapters are longer, over a thousand words. We meet Jack in this chapter as you can tell by the name._

* * *

**CHAPTER THREE  
ENTER JACK**

* * *

"What's your name?" Mr Phillips asked when Alex arrived.

"Alex," he said, glancing around the room, "Gaskarth."

"Okay, 'Alex', sit down," Mr Phillips' voice sounded almost patronising.

Alex walked down the aisle to the empty seat beside Diana. He looked at the other students in the room. From Diana's descriptions he could name about five people there. Jack Barakat sat behind Diana, Ruby Gillis sat across, Jane Andrews was next to her and Josie Pye sat two seats in front of Ruby and Jane. Alex soon lost interest in the lesson and started staring out the window instead. Jack Barakat was trying to get Alex Gaskarth to pay attention to him but failing desperately. Every girl in the Avonlea School (and some boys) swooned for him but for some reason Alex wouldn't even look his way.

"Hey, Caterpillar Face," Jack whispered to Alex, taping him on the shoulder.

Alex turned around to look at Jack with hate in his eye but then quickly stood up and brought his slate down over Jack's head. Everyone in the class looked over with horrified delight.

Mr Phillips walked down the aisle and said to Alex, "What are you doing, Mr Gaskarth?"

Alex didn't reply, he just stared at the ground.

"It was my fault," Jack stood up and Alex marvelled at his height, "I teased him."

Mr Phillips either didn't hear or just didn't care what Jack had to say, "Alex, go and stand on the platform in front of the blackboard for the rest of the afternoon."

Alex didn't look down at his feet as he stood in front of the class, he was too angry to be ashamed. When school was over Alex and Diana left together. Jack tried to intercept them.

"I'm awfully sorry I made fun of your eyebrows, Alex. Don't stay mad."

Alex kept on walking without even looking in Jack's direction.

"How could you, Alex?" Diana felt that she could never have resisted Jack's plea.

"I will never forgive Jack Barakat."

"You mustn't mind him making fun of you, he makes fun of everyone. He laughs at mine because it's so black. He's called me a crow a dozen times and I have never heard him apologise."

One day, four months later, the Avonlea scholars were in Mr Bell's spruce grove during their lunch break. When they saw Mr Phillips heading towards the school building everyone began to run over there. Alex was the on the furthest edge of the field so he had to run the furthest. Alex overtook a group of boys at the door to arrive with them. Mr Phillips felt like he needed to punish the students for being late but he didn't have the energy to discipline a dozen students.

"Alex Gaskarth, since you seem so fond of the boys' company we shall indulge your taste for it this afternoon," he said sarcastically, "sit over there with Jack Barakat."

Alex stood staring at Mr Phillips.

"Did you hear what I said?"

"Yes, sir," said Alex slowly, "but I didn't suppose you really meant it."

"I assure you I did. Sit. Now."

Alex moved to the seat next to Jack and slumped down in the chair. To Alex, this was the end of all things. It was bad enough to be singled out for punishment from among a dozen equally guilty ones but it was worse to be forced to sit with Jack Barakat. When school finished for the day, Alex left quickly with Diana trailing behind him.


	4. Chapter Four - Tea

_Another short one, once again, I'm sorry (unless you prefer short chapters)_

* * *

**CHAPTER FOUR  
TEA**

* * *

Alex had been living at Green Gables for over a year now. He liked most of the Avonlea children. The only ones he didn't get along with were Josie Pye and Jack Barakat. Josie was an all-round cheat and liar that spent most of her time vying for Jack's attention so there was no question as to why Alex disliked her. Jack had tried to apologise to Alex since the incident but Alex continued ignoring him. One day Marilla told Alex that he could invite Diana around for tea. Alex jumped at the chance and went to the Barry's' immediately to tell Diana. On the day of the tea Alex spent the whole morning cooking and learning to be a gracious host. Marilla had to go into town so it would just be the two of them.

"Hello Diana," Alex smiled as he opened the door to her.

"Hello Alex, how do you do?"

They continued using formal language until Alex was too excited to continue.

"I'm going to go get the drinks," he bounded off to the kitchen and returned with a tumbler and a bottle marked 'Red Cordial'.

"Aren't you having any?" Diana asked.

"No, I have a stomach ache. I have to go get a cake from the oven but be sure to drink up."

Alex left and Diana poured herself a glass of cordial.

"This is awfully good, Alex," Diana called out, "better than any cordial I've ever had before."

"So you mean you've had it before?" Alex replied with disappointment evident in his voice.

"Yes, haven't you?"

"I can't say that I have."

"You certainly should once you're feeling better."

Diana poured another tumbler full of cordial followed by one more.

"Alex? I think I should go home, I'm feeling sick," Diana stood up.

"Oh, you must stay! We haven't even eaten yet!"

"I really think that I should go, I'm quite dizzy," Diana stumbled towards the door.

Alex went to get Diana's coat and then lead her outside and down the road to the Barry's.

"Sorry I had to leave, Alex," Diana hiccuped when they reached the gate.

"It's alright," Alex mumbled as Diana walked away.

* * *

"How was tea?" Marilla asked when she arrived home that night.

"It was fine until Diana had to go home early because she felt sick."

"I just saw Mrs Lynde. Apparently Mrs Barry is very angry with you."

"Why?"

"I'm not sure why. Let's go around to the Barry's tomorrow and see. I have to borrow a skirt pattern from Mrs Barry anyway."

"Okay," Alex said with worry in his voice.

He went upstairs to his bedroom and lay in bed. He was upset but also tired and the latter won as he fell asleep.

* * *

"There is that demon child!" Mrs Barry exclaimed as Marilla and Alex arrived at the house, "I never thought you should have adopted him but I kept my mouth shut and look at what happened."

"What _did_ happen?" Marilla asked.

"That boy of yours set Diana drunk!"

"He set Diana drunk?" Marilla repeated just in case she had misheard.

"Yes!"

"What did you give her?" Marilla asked Alex.

"Red cordial."

"From the bottle in the cupboard?"

"Yes," Alex sobbed.

"Alex, you do beat all. That was currant wine, don't you know the difference?"

"I have never had either."

"I always thought that you shouldn't make currant wine," Mrs Barry mumbled, "I don't think that my Diana should associate with his type anymore, Marilla."

"Don't be ridiculous," Marilla replied.

"I forbid you to be friends with my Diana anymore, do you hear me?"

Alex nodded his head solemnly and left with Marilla trailing behind.

* * *

The next day at school Alex was called to the front to speak to Mr Phillips before class started.

"I spoke with Mrs Barry this morning and you can no longer sit beside Diana Barry. Go sit in the spare seat beside Mr Barakat."

Alex turned around and sat beside Jack. It was bad enough that he couldn't even be friends with Diana anymore but now he was being forced to sit with his sworn enemy, Jack Barakat.

"Why aren't you sitting next to Diana anymore?" Jack asked.

"I am not allowed," Alex answered coldly, putting his head down on the desk to signify the end of the discussion.

Jack went back to doing his work. Alex looked over at Diana and she looked back at Alex

"I'm sorry," she mouthed.

Alex shrugged. He looked disappointed but nothing on the outside showed just how bad he was feeling.


	5. Chapter Five - Problem Solving

**CHAPTER FIVE  
PROBLEM SOLVING**

* * *

Without the benefit of friendship during class, Alex became focused on his school work. He tried to beat Jack in all their classes and a rivalry was soon apparent even though it was entirely good natured on Jack's side. One day, Jack was head of the spelling class and the next, Alex was. One morning Jack had all his sums correctly and had his name written on the blackboard on the roll of honour; the next morning Alex, having wrestled wildly with decimals the entire evening before, was first. When the written examinations at the end of each month were held the suspense was terrible. The first month Jack came out three marks ahead. The second Alex beat him by five. Her triumph was marred by the fact that Jack congratulated him heartily before the whole school. It would have been ever so much sweeter to him if Jack had felt the sting of his defeat. By the end of term Jack and Alex were both promoted to the fifth class.

* * *

Around six months after Diana and Alex stopped talking, news reached Avonlea that the Premier would be in Charlottetown soon. When the day finally arrived Mr and Mrs Barry, Mrs Lynde, Marilla and several other townspeople went to see him. They were to be gone for one night. It snowed that night so Alex and Rian stayed inside. Alex was doing his geometry work. He considered stopping but that would result in Jack's triumph the next day so he continued studying.

"Rian, did you ever study geometry when you were at school?"

"Well, no, I didn't."

Just as Rian answered came the sound of flying footsteps on the icy boardwalk outside and the next moment the kitchen door was flung open by a white-faced and breathless Diana Barry.

"What's the matter, Diana?"

"Oh, Alex, do come quick," Diana cried, "May is awful sick – she's got croup, Young Mary Joe says – and Father and Mother are away to town and there's nobody to go for the doctor. May is awful bad and Young Mary Joe doesn't know what to do – and oh, Alex, I'm so scared."

"I'll get the doctor," Rian said as he reached for his cap and coat, slipping past Diana and out into the snow.

"I don't believe he'll find the doctor at Carmody. I know that Doctor Blair went to town and I guess Doctor Spencer would go too. Young Mary Joe has never seen anyone with the croup and Mrs Lynde is away!" said Diana.

"Don't cry," Alex comforted Diana, "I know exactly what to do for croup. All of Mrs Hammond's twins had coup regularly."

* * *

May, Diana's three-year-old sister, was really very sick. She lay on the kitchen sofa, feverish and restless, while her hoarse breathing could be heard all through the house. Young Mary Joe was a broad-faced French girl that Mrs Barry had asked to look after the children during her absence.

"May has croup all right; she's pretty bad but I've seen worse."

* * *

At three o'clock Rian came with the doctor but by now May was much better and sleeping soundly.

"I was awfully near giving up in despair," explained Alex, "She got worse and worse until she was sicker than ever the Hammond twins were, even the last pair. I actually thought she was going to choke to death. I gave her every drop of medicine in that bottle and when the last dose went down I said to myself-not to Diana or Young Mary Joe, because I didn't want to worry them any more than they were worried, but I had to say it to myself just to relieve my feelings-`This is the last lingering hope and I fear, tis a vain one.' But in about three minutes she coughed up the phlegm and began to get better right away. You must just imagine my relief, doctor, because I can't express it in words."

The doctor looked at Alex as if he were thinking something that could not be expressed in words. Later on, however, he expressed them to Mr and Mrs Barry.

"That little boy they have over at the Dawson's is as smart as they make them. I tell you, he saved that baby's life, for it would have been too late by the time I got there. He seems to have a skill and presence of mind perfectly wonderful in a child of his age."

* * *

Alex slept so long and soundly that it was well on in the white and rosy winter afternoon when he awoke and descended to the kitchen where Marilla, who had arrived home in the meantime, was sitting knitting.

"Did you see the Premier?" Alex asked, "What did he look like?"

"Well, he never got to be Premier on account of his looks," said Marilla. "Such a nose as that man had! But he can speak. I was proud of being a Conservative. Rachel Lynde, of course, being a Liberal, had no use for him. Rian told me about last night. I must say it was fortunate you knew what to do. I wouldn't have had any idea myself, for I never saw a case of croup. Mrs Barry was here this afternoon, Alex. She wanted to see you, but I wouldn't wake you up. She says you saved May's life, and she is very sorry she acted as she did in that affair of the currant wine. She says she knows now you didn't mean to set Diana drunk, and she hopes you'll forgive her and be good friends with Diana again. You're to go over this evening, if you like."

"Can I go now?" Alex exclaimed with a grin as big as his face.

"Yes, yes, run along."

* * *

Alex came home in the purple winter twilight and said to Marilla, "You see before you a perfectly happy person. Mrs Barry kissed me and cried and said she was so sorry and she could never repay me. I felt fearfully embarrassed. We're going to ask Mr Phillips to let us sit together in school again. We had an elegant tea. Mrs Barry had the very best china set out, Marilla, just as if I was real company. I can't tell you what a thrill it gave me. Nobody ever used their very best china on my account before. And we had fruit cake and pound cake and doughnuts and two kinds of preserves and Mrs Barry asked me if I took tea and said `Pa, why don't you pass the biscuits to Alex?' It must be lovely to be grown up, Marilla, when just being treated as if you were is so nice. "


	6. Chapter Six - The Concert

_We're getting into the longer chapters now. This will be the last one I post in this little spurt of updates, I just wanted potential readers to see that the story will improve. I am not even into the good bits yet so if you're enjoying this already then congratulations because you will love the later chapters, SO MUCH JALEX! The next two chapters have huge amounts of Jack/Alex interactions and the chapters after do as well but not as much as seven and eight. If you want to read the next chapters now just review this and say you want it in the review because I can put them up whenever.  
_

* * *

**CHAPTER SIX  
THE CONCERT**

* * *

"Oh, Marilla, what do you think?" Alex asked after coming home from a visit to the Barry's, "You know tomorrow is Diana's birthday. Well, her mother told her she could ask me to go home with her from school and stay all night with her. And her cousins are coming over from Newbridge in a big pung sleigh to go to the Debating Club concert at the hall tomorrow night. And they are going to take Diana and me to the concert, if you'll let me go, that is. You will, won't you, Marilla? Oh, I feel so excited."

"Very well, you can go."

* * *

Alex was too excited to do himself justice as to lessons that morning in school. Jack Barakat spelled him down in class and left him clear out of sight in mental arithmetic. Alex's consequent humiliation was less than it might have been, however, in view of the concert. He and Diana talked so constantly about it all day that with a stricter teacher than Mr Phillips dire disgrace must inevitably have been their portion.

* * *

Alex's real excitement began with the dismissal of school and increased in crescendo until it reached to a crash of positive ecstasy during the concert itself. Diana's hair was done in the new pompadour style and Alex tied Diana's bows with the especial knack he possessed. At last they were ready, eyes glowing with delight. Diana's cousins, the Murrays from Newbridge, came. They all crowded into the sleigh, among straw and furry robes. Alex revelled in the drive to the hall. There was a magnificent sunset and the snowy hills and deep-blue water of the St. Lawrence Gulf seemed to rim in the splendour like a huge bowl of pearl and sapphire brimmed with wine and fire. Tinkles of sleigh bells and distant laughter came from every quarter. The program that night was a series of 'thrills' for at least one listener in the audience, and, as Alex assured Diana, every succeeding thrill was thrillier than the last. When Prissy Andrews, attired in a new pink-silk waist with a string of pearls about her smooth white throat and real carnations in her hair 'climbed the slimy ladder, dark without one ray of light,' Alex shivered in luxurious sympathy; when the choir sang _Far Above the Gentle Daisies_ Alex gazed at the ceiling as if it were frescoed with angels; when Sam Sloane proceeded to explain and illustrate _How Sockery Set a Hen_ Alex laughed until people sitting near him laughed too, more out of sympathy with him than with amusement at a selection that was rather threadbare even in Avonlea; and when Mr Phillips gave Mark Antony's oration over the dead body of Caesar in the most heart stirring tones Alex felt that he could rise and mutiny on the spot if but one Roman citizen led the way. Only one number on the program failed to interest him. When Jack Barakat recited _Bingen on the Rhine, _Alex picked up Rhoda Murray's library book and read it until he had finished, when she sat rigidly stiff and motionless while Diana clapped her hands until they tingled. They arrived home at eleven.

"Hasn't it been a delightful time?" said Alex, "It must be splendid to get up and recite there. Do you suppose we will ever be asked to do it, Diana?"

"Yes, of course, someday. They always want the big scholars to recite. Jack Barakat does often and he's only two years older than us. Oh, Alex, how could you pretend not to listen to him? When he came to the line, '_There's another, not a sister'_ he looked right down at you."

"Diana," sighed Alex, "you are my best friend but even you can't bring him up in my presence. Are you ready for bed? Let's run a race and see who'll get to the bed first."

Diana liked the idea and the two children rushed through the spare room door and jumped onto the bed at the same time. All of a sudden something moved beneath them and somebody said in a muffled voice:

"Merciful goodness."

Alex and Diana rushed from the room and upstairs.

"Who was that?" Alex asked.

"It was Aunt Josephine. She will be furious. It's dreadful but did you ever know anything so funny, Alex?"

* * *

Miss Josephine Barry did not appear at the early breakfast the next morning.

Mrs Barry smiled kindly at Alex and Diana, "Did you have a good time last night? I tried to stay awake until you came home, for I wanted to tell you Aunt Josephine had come and that you would have to go upstairs after all, but I was so tired I fell asleep. I hope you didn't disturb your aunt, Diana."

Diana preserved a discreet silence, but she and Alex exchanged furtive smiles of guilty amusement across the table. Alex hurried home after breakfast and so remained in blissful ignorance of the disturbance which presently resulted in the Barry household until the late afternoon, when she went down to Mrs Lynde's on an errand for Marilla.

"So you and Diana nearly frightened poor old Miss Barry to death last night?" said Mrs. Lynde, "Mrs Barry was here a few minutes ago on her way to Carmody. She's feeling real worried over it. Old Miss Barry was in a terrible temper when she got up this morning-and Josephine Barry's temper is no joke, I can tell you that. She wouldn't speak to Diana at all."

"It wasn't Diana's fault! I suggested we race to bed."

"I knew it!" said Mrs. Lynde, with the exultation of a correct guesser. "I knew that idea came out of your head. Well, it's made a nice lot of trouble, that's what. Old Miss Barry came out to stay for a month, but she declares she won't stay another day and is going right back to town tomorrow, Sunday and all as it is. She'd have gone today if they could have taken her. She had promised to pay for a quarter's music lessons for Diana but now she is determined to do nothing at all for such a tomboy. Oh, I guess they had a lively time of it there this morning. The Barrys must feel cut up. Old Miss Barry is rich and they'd like to keep on the good side of her. Of course, Mrs Barry didn't say just that to me, but I'm a pretty good judge of human nature, that's what."

Alex felt extremely guilty. He had cost Diana her music lessons and ruined the Barry's relationship with Miss Barry.

"You must learn to think a little, Alex, that's what," Mrs Lynde continued, "the proverb you need to go by is `Look before you leap', especially into spare-room beds."

* * *

Alex was out of breath when he arrived at Diana's house for he had run there.

"Is Miss Barry there?" Alex asked when Diana came to the door.

"Yes but she is filled with rage, Alex. Oh, how she scolded. She said I was the worst-behaved girl she ever saw and that my parents ought to be ashamed of the way they had brought me up. She says she won't stay and I'm sure I don't care. But Father and Mother do."

"Can I talk to her?"

"Why would you ever do that?"

"To tell her it was my fault."

"Alex Gaskarth, she'll eat you alive! She's in the spare-room anyway. You can go in if you want to. I wouldn't dare. And I don't believe you'll do a bit of good."

Alex knocked on the door sharply and was greeted by a stern voice saying:

"Come in,"

Alex entered the room and saw Miss Josephine Barry, a thin, prim, and rigid woman who was knitting and wearing gold-rimmed glasses.

She looked up and said, "Who are you?"

"I'm Alex of Green Gables," he begun nervously, "and I've come to confess."

"Confess to what?"

"That jumping into bed on you was my entire fault. I suggested it. Diana would never have thought of such a thing, I am sure. So you must see how unfair it is to blame her."

"I rather think Diana did her share of the jumping at least."

"But we were only in fun," persisted Alex, "I think you ought to forgive us, Miss Barry, now that we've apologized. And anyway, please forgive Diana and let her have her music lessons. Diana's heart is set on her music lessons, Miss Barry, and I know too well what it is to set your heart on a thing and not get it. If you must be cross with anyone, be cross with me. I've been so used in my early days to having people cross at me that I can endure it much better than Diana can."

Alex and Miss Barry's conversation continued until Miss Barry agreed to stay on the condition that Alex would come regularly for the rest of her visit to talk. Alex agreed and they soon became firm friends.


	7. Chapter Seven - Mr Merrick

_Really really short chapter, sorry. At least the next one is almost three times the size. Zack is introduced in this chapter as you can probably tell. There is a lot of Jalex in this chapter._

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**CHAPTER SEVEN**  
**MR MERRICK**

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After Alex had been going to school in Avonlea for two years Mr Phillips decided that it would be best if he left teaching and all the students that he'd taught agreed. On Mr Phillips' final day the girls in his class started crying even if they didn't like him. He gave a heartrending farewell speech beginning 'The time has come for us to part' which affected most of the children in the room. Once he left everyone stood around the building, not knowing what to do next. To leave would seem rude but it was staying was quite boring. Josie Pye stood up on top of the fence and walked along it, trying to get Jack Barakat's attention.

"I guess that some people think it's an accomplishment to walk a little picket fence," Alex said to Diana, "I knew a girl who could walk the ridgepole of a roof."

Josie heard what Alex said and retaliated, "I bet you couldn't do it, bookworm."

"I'm sure I could," Alex said as he turned to climb up the nearby ladder leaning on the school building.

"Don't do it, Alex," Jack pleaded once he knew what was going on, "it seems awfully dangerous."

Alex continued going up the ladder. Once he had reached the roof, he moved towards the centre. Alex had managed to walk along three quarters of the ridgepole when he felt something slip below him. All the students saw as he disappeared down the other side of the roof. Everyone rushed over either to see if Alex was okay or just out of curiosity.

"Oh, Alex," Diana began overly dramatically, "is you killed?"

"No," Alex replied as he opened his eyes, "but I think I twisted my ankle."

Jack reached down to Alex and lifted him up. Alex felt strangely safe.

"If you need help getting home-" Jack began.

"I think I'll be fine by myself," Alex tried to limp away.

"You can hardly walk, Alex, let him help you," Diana whispered to Alex.

"Fine," Alex muttered as Jack and Diana lifted his arms above their shoulders to help him walk.

Jack had to stoop and Diana had to stand on her tiptoes but it seemed to work. Jack and Diana attempted making small talk but Alex had no part in it.

"What do you think our new teacher will be like?" Diana asked Jack.

"I think that it'll be a female teacher."

"We haven't had one in a while."

"I also think she'll be strict when it comes to following the rules but nice at the same time."

"How's your father?"

"He's well," Jack replied, "and how's yours?"

"He's fine too."

The discussion continued like this until they reached Green Gables.

"What happened?" Marilla gasped when she saw Alex.

"He fell off the school house roof," Jack replied.

"Just this morning I thought, 'I wonder what he'll do today' and look! You have raised the bar, Alex Gaskarth."

Alex was in bed for three weeks after that and missed seeing their new teacher straight away. When Alex did go back to school he met Mr Merrick. A kind but stern teacher that seemed 100 times better than Mr Phillips even if Alex had only known him for one day. Mr Merrick had short brown hair and was tall. He seemed young, as if he'd just got his teaching licence, and was from Carmody. Alex took an immediate liking to him as did every other student in class.

* * *

_See, Jalex. The next chapter is longer, has more Jalex and is just generally fantastic._


	8. Chapter Eight - The Lily Man

_Here it is, my beloved chapter eight._

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**CHAPTER EIGHT**  
**THE LILY MAN**

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"You must be Elaine, Alex," said Diana, "I could never have the courage to float down there."

"Nor I," said Ruby Gillis, with a shiver, "I don't mind floating down when there's two or three of us in the flat and we can sit up. It's fun then. But to lie down and pretend I was dead, I just couldn't. I'd die really of fright."

"Of course it would be romantic," conceded Jane Andrews, "but I know I couldn't keep still. I'd be popping up every minute or so to see where I was and if I wasn't drifting too far out. And, you know, that would spoil the effect."

"But it's so ridiculous to have a boy as Elaine," mourned Alex, "I'm not afraid to float down and I'd love to be Elaine. But it's ridiculous just the same. Ruby ought to be Elaine because she is so fair and has such lovely long golden hair- Elaine had `all her bright hair streaming down,' you know. And Elaine was the lily maid. A boy can't be a lily maid."

They were standing on the bank of the pond where a little headland fringed as birches ran out from the bank; at its tip was a small wooden platform built out into the water for the convenience of fishermen and duck hunters. Ruby and Jane were spending the afternoon with Diana, and Alex had come over to play with them. It was Alex's idea that they dramatize Elaine. They had studied Tennyson's poem in school the previous winter, the Superintendent of Education having prescribed it in the English course for the Prince Edward Island schools. They had analysed and parsed it and torn it to pieces in general until it was a wonder there was any meaning at all left in it for them, but at least the fair lily maid and Lancelot and Guinevere and King Arthur had become very real people to them.

Alex's plan was greeted with enthusiasm. They had discovered that if the flat were pushed off from the landing place it would drift down with the current under the bridge and finally strand itself on another headland lower down which ran out at a curve in the pond. They had often gone down like this and nothing could be more convenient for playing Elaine.

"Well, I'll be Elaine," said Alex, yielding reluctantly, "Ruby, you must be King Arthur and Jane will be Guinevere and Diana must be Lancelot. But first you must be the brothers and the father. We can't have the old dumb servitor because there isn't room for two in the flat when one is lying down."

Alex lay at the bottom of the barge and folded his hands over his chest.

"Oh, he does look really dead," whispered Ruby Gillis nervously, watching the still face under the flickering shadows of the birches, "It scares me."

The flat was pushed off, scraping roughly over an old embedded stake in the process. Diana and Jane and Ruby only waited long enough to see it caught in the current and headed for the bridge before scampering up through the woods, across the road, and down to the lower headland where, as Lancelot and Guinevere and the King, they were to be in readiness to receive the lily maid. For a few minutes Alex, drifting slowly down, enjoyed the peacefulness of the situation to the full. Then something happened that was not at all peaceful. The flat began to leak. In a very few moments it was necessary for Elaine to scramble to his feet and gaze blankly at a big crack in the bottom of his barge through which the water was literally pouring. That sharp stake at the landing had torn off the strip of batting nailed on the flat. Alex did not know this, but it did not take him long to realize that he was in a dangerous plight. At this rate the flat would fill and sink long before it could drift to the lower headland. Where were the oars? Left behind at the landing! Alex gave one gasping little shout which nobody ever heard; he was white to the lips, but he did not lose his self-possession. There was one chance, just one. Alex waited for the flat to get close enough to a bridge pile and he jumped. Alex was left holding onto the slippery pile with no way of getting up or down. The flat drifted under the bridge and then promptly sank in midstream. Ruby, Jane, and Diana, already awaiting it on the lower headland, saw it disappear before their very eyes and had not a doubt but that Alex had gone down with it. For a moment they stood still, white as sheets, frozen with horror at the tragedy; then, shrieking at the tops of their voices, they started on a frantic run up through the woods, never pausing as they crossed the main road to glance the way of the bridge. Alex, clinging desperately to his dangerous foothold, saw their flying forms and heard their shrieks. Help would soon come, but meanwhile his position was a very uncomfortable one. The minutes passed by, each seeming an hour to him. Why didn't somebody come? Where had the girls gone? Suppose they had fainted, one and all! Suppose nobody ever came! Suppose se grew so tired and cramped that he could hold on no longer! Alex looked at the wicked green depths below him, wavering with long, oily shadows, and shivered. His imagination began to suggest all manner of gruesome possibilities to him. Then, just as she thought he really could not endure the ache in his arms and wrists another moment, Jack Barakat came rowing under the bridge in Harmon Andrews's dory!

"Alex Gaskarth! How on earth did you get there?" he exclaimed.

Without waiting for an answer he pulled close to the pile and extended his hand. There was no help for it; Alex, clinging to Jack Barakat's hand, scrambled down into the dory.

"What happened, Alex?" asked Jack, taking up his oars.

"I was in the flat and it began to leak so I climbed onto one of the piles."

Jack obligingly rowed to the landing and Alex, disdaining assistance, sprang onto the shore.

"I owe you one," he said as he turned away but Jack had also sprung from the boat and now laid a detaining hand on his arm.

"Alex," he said hurriedly, "look here, Can't we be good friends? I'm awfully sorry I made fun of your eyebrows that time. I didn't mean to upset you and I only meant it for a joke. Besides, it's been two years. I think your eyebrows are lovely, honest I do. Let's be friends."

For a moment Alex hesitated. He had an odd realization under all his outraged dignity that the half-shy, half-eager expression in Jack's dark eyes was something that was very good to see. His heart gave a swift, peculiar beat but then he remembered Jack calling him 'caterpillar face' before the whole school. Some people may forgive as time goes on but Alex wouldn't. He hated Jack Barakat and would never forgive him.

"No," Alex replied coldly, "I will never be friends with you, Jack Barakat, and I don't want to be."

"Fine!" Jack jumped into his skiff with an angry colour in his cheeks. "I'll never ask you to be friends again, Alex Gaskarth, and I don't care either!"

He pulled away with fast, defiant strokes and Alex went up the path under the maples. He held his head high but he was conscious of an odd feeling of regret. He almost wished he had answered Jack differently. Of course, he had insulted him terribly, but still…


	9. Chapter Nine - The Queen's Class

_Here is chapter nine. I have no more chapters that are 100% finished so the wait might be a bit longer for the next one but at least now you can suggest stuff. Anyway, on with the show!_

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**CHAPTER NINE  
THE QUEEN'S CLASS**

* * *

Mr Merrick was a good teacher. He listened to what his students had to say and cared about their futures. He believed that every student should have the opportunity to shine and instead of succumbing to everyone's expectations of them. One day, Mr Merrick decided that if he were to really give these students a chance he should help them get into college so they can get good jobs and be successful. This is how the Queen's Class was formed. The Queen's Class was a class of older students. They would do extra work to prepare them for the entrance exam into Queen's College. The Queen's Class consisted of Alex Gaskarth, Jane Andrews, Ruby Gillis, Josie Pye, Jack Barakat, Charlie Sloan and Moody Spurgeon MacPherson. Diana wasn't in the class because her mother believed that she should learn to be a homemaker instead of gallivanting around a co-ed college. Alex was sitting at the back of the class as Mr Merrick took attendance one day.

"Jane Andrews?"

"Present," she replied.

"Jack Barakat?"

"I'm here, sir," Jack smiled.

"Alex Gaskarth?"

"Here," Alex said absently, he was looking at the other people in the class. Even though he knew them all well they seemed different in the Queen's class. They seemed more focused because they had a goal and that was to get into college.

"Ruby Gillis?"

"Present."

Mr Merrick continued calling the roll and Alex tuned out. He looked over at Jack.

"What a nice nose he has," Alex thought before realising exactly what he was saying and about whom. Jack Barakat may have had a nice profile but he wasn't a nice person. He did seem nice when he was apologising, though…no. Alex wasn't going to forgive Jack so he needed to stop thinking about him. He eventually did when they began their work.

The Queen's Class worked together every afternoon. In this time Alex learnt a lot about his classmates' dreams and told Marilla about it regularly.  
"Jane and Ruby are just going to study together to be teachers; that is the height of their ambition. Ruby says that she will only teach for two years after she gets through then she intends to be married. Jane says she will devote her whole life to teaching and never marry because you are paid a salary for teaching but a husband won't pay you anything and growls at you if you ask for a share in the egg and butter money. I expect that Jane speaks from mournful experience because Mrs Lynde said that her father is a perfect old crank and meaner than second skimmings. Josie Pye says that she is going to college just for education's sake because she won't have to earn her own living; she says of course it is different for orphans who are living on charity – _they_ have to hustle. Moody Spurgeon is going to be a minister and Charlie Sloan says he's going into politics."

"What is Jack Barakat going to be?" Queried Marilla.

"I don't know what Jack Barakat's ambition in life is – if he has any," replied Alex scornfully.

There was open rivalry between Jack and Alex now. Previously the competitiveness had been rather one-sided, but there was no longer any doubt that Jack was as determined to be first in class as Alex was. The other members of the class tacitly acknowledged their superiority, and never dreamed of trying to compete with them.

Since the day by the pond when he had refused to listen to his plea for forgiveness, Jack, save for the aforesaid determined rivalry, had shown no recognition whatever of the existence of Alex Gaskarth. He talked and jested with the other students, exchanged books and puzzles with them, discussed lessons and plans, sometimes walked home with one or the other of them. But Alex Gaskarth he simply ignored and Alex found out that it is not pleasant to be ignored. It was in vain that he told himself with a toss of his head that he did not care. Deep down in his wayward heart he knew that he did care and that if he could change what he said he would. All at once, as it seemed, and to his secret disappointment, he found that the old bitterness he had cherished against Jack was gone—gone just when he most needed its sustaining power. It was in vain that he recalled every incident and emotion of that memorable occasion and tried to feel the old satisfying anger. That day by the pond had witnessed its last irregular glimmer. Alex realized that he had forgiven and forgotten without knowing it. But it was too late.

At least neither Jack nor anybody else, not even Diana, would ever suspect how sorry he was and how much he wished he hadn't been so proud. He hid all his emotions so successfully that Jack, who possibly was not quite as indifferent as he seemed, could not comfort himself with any belief that Alex felt his retaliatory scorn. The only poor comfort he had was that Alex snubbed Charlie Sloane, unmercifully, continually and undeservedly.

"I am proud to say that you have all grown into smart, driven young men and women in the past year. It has been an honour to teach you thus far and I will be content with you and your accomplishments if you pass or fail and you should be to. I would say, 'Now go and make me proud,' but you have already done that far too many times to count," Mr Merrick finished with a smile. It was the day of the entrance exam and the Queen's Class members were gathered after having taken the morning train to Charlottetown.

"I'm sure that we'll pass, honest, sir. You've taught us so well," Ruby gushed. She fancied handsome Mr Merrick quite a bit as did so many other girls in the class.

"Thank you, Ruby, but it wasn't all me and you know that. You," he gestured to the whole class, "are all so smart and naturally gifted, educating you was a breeze!"

Ruby blushed at the compliment even though it wasn't directed at her solely.

The time for the exam came and went and the group went back to Avonlea and fell into their old routines but there was a high level of anxiety around them. Diana was over at Green Gables the evening Alex came back and they met as if they had been parted for years.

"Alex!" Diana exclaimed, "How did you get along?"

"Pretty well, I think, in everything but geometry."

"How did the others do?"

"The girls say they didn't pass but I think they did pretty well. _Josie_," Alex spat the name out as though it was a pain to just say her name, "said that the geometry exam was so easy that a child of ten could do it. Moody Spurgeon thinks he failed history and Charlie says he failed in algebra but we don't really know anything about it and won't until the pass list is out in a fortnight. Fancy living a fortnight in such suspense! I wish I could sleep now and wake up when it's all over."  
Diana knew better than to ask how Jack fared so she merely said, "you'll pass, don't worry."

"I'd rather not pass at all than not come up pretty well up on the list," Alex rushed, by which he meant – and Diana knew he meant – that success would be incomplete and acrimonious if he did not come out ahead of Jack Barakat.

With this end in view Alex had strained every nerve during the examinations as had Jack. They had met and passed each other on the street a dozen times without any sign of recognition and every time Alex had held his head a little higher and wished a little more earnestly that he had made friends with Jack when he asked her and vowed a little more determinedly to surpass him in the examination. He knew that all Avonlea junior was wondering which would come out first; he even knew that Jimmy Glover and Ned Wright had a bet on the question and that Josie Pye had said there was no doubt in the world that Jack would be first; Alex felt that his humiliation would be unbearable if he failed.

Alex had another, nobler, motive for wishing to do well. He wanted to 'pass high; for the sake of Marilla and Rian. Rian had declared to him that he "would beat the whole Island." That, Alex felt, was something it would be foolish to hope for even in the wildest dreams. But he did hope fervently that he would be among the first ten at least, so that he might see Rian's kind smile and his brown eyes gleam with pride in Alex's achievement. That, he felt, would be a sweet reward indeed for all his hard work and patient grubbing among repetitive equations and conjugations.

At the end of the fortnight Alex took to haunting the post office also, in the distracted company of Jane, Ruby, and Josie, opening the Charlottetown dailies with shaking hands and cold, sinkaway feelings as bad as any experienced during the Entrance week. Charlie and Jack were not above doing this too, but Moody Spurgeon stayed resolutely away.

"I haven't got the grit to go there and look at a paper in cold blood," he told Alex "I'm just going to wait until somebody comes and tells me suddenly whether I've passed or not."

When three weeks had gone by without the pass list appearing Alex began to feel that he really couldn't stand the strain much longer. His appetite failed and her interest in Avonlea doings weakened. Mrs Lynde wanted to know what else you could expect with a Tory superintendent of education at the head of affairs and Rian, noting Alex's paleness and indifference and the lagging steps that bore him home from the post office every afternoon, began seriously to wonder if he hadn't better vote Grit at the next election.

One evening the news came. Alex sat in his room, staring out the window with all his worries from the exams gone when he saw Diana running down the slope with a flapping newspaper in her hand. Alex sprang to his feet immediately, knowing what the paper contained. The pass list was out. Alex's head whirled and his pulse quickened. He couldn't move an inch and waited for what felt like hours until Diana burst into his room without knocking.

"Alex!"

"Yes?" Alex replied excitedly.  
"You've passed! You're the very first."  
"I came first?"

"Yes! You and Jack both, you tied, but your name is first."

Diana put the paper on the table and sat on Alex's bed. Alex lit the lamp and used up half a dozen matches before his hands could accomplish the task. Alex picked up the paper and there his name was. First in a list of two hundred. That moment was worth living for.

"You've all passed, every one of you, Moody Spurgeon and all, although he's conditioned in history. Jane and Ruby did pretty well – they're halfway up – and so did Charlie. Josie just scraped through with three marks to spare, but you'll see she'll put on as many airs as if she'd led. Won't Mr Merrick be delighted? Alex, what does it feel like to see your name at the head of a pass list like that? If it were me I know I'd go crazy with joy. I am pretty near crazy as it is, but you're as calm and cool as a spring evening."

"I am ecstatic. I have a hundred things to say but I can't find the words to say them."

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_Stay tuned for chapter ten, "Come One, Come All".  
_


	10. Chapter Ten - Come One, Come All

_Here it is, chapter 10. Named after an All Time Low song. I have a lot of great chapter names coming up. Some are named after ATL songs and some are based on other bands. You will just have to wait and see, though. In this chapter I introduced a lot of new characters, put in a little bit of Jalex and had a few emotional scenes. I rather like this chapter. It is quite an average length. 1,149 words. Enjoy._

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**CHAPTER TEN  
COME ONE, COME ALL**

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The next weeks at Green Gables were crazy as Alex frantically obtained (and packed) everything he would need for college, with help from Marilla and Rian. When it was finally time to leave, Alex was practically shaking. He stood on the threshold of Green Gables and it was reminiscent of when he arrived at Green Gables three years earlier. Alex was about to go into a whole new world and he wasn't sure if they'd be as gentle and forgiving as the community of Avonlea. Alex was now fifteen and ready to start college. He was to be in the second year class where the students obtained their teaching licences in one year instead of two. The only other student from Avonlea that was in Alex's class was Jack Barakat.

"I am so proud of you," Rian said as he ruffled Alex's hair.

Alex smiled at Rian, "thank you so much for everything, Rian."

"Did you know that you will be the first person in our family to go to college?"

Alex felt love well up inside him when he heard Rian say this. He hadn't been part of a family since he was three months old.

"You go out there and show them what you can do," Rian hugged Alex.

"Behave at college, Alex," Marilla smiled, "I-I am going to miss you so much."

Alex let go of Rian and turned to Marilla, "you will never know how grateful I am for everything you have done for me, Marilla. If it weren't for you I would still be just another orphan going between homes. Thank you for accepting me into your family."

"We didn't need to accept you in, you've always been family. From the second I saw you at the train station I knew that you were going to be a part of our family. You've always been, we just didn't know it yet. Family doesn't end with blood," Rian gave a teary smile as he said this.

Alex was about to break down and cry but he kept himself together and he and Rian left. Alex gave Marilla a smile as they left in the carriage and he yelled out that he'd write every week.

Alex said goodbye to Rian at the station and got onto the morning train. Alex sat down and stared out the window. As the train pulled away from the station Rian felt so proud yet so sad at the same time. Alex, little Alex, the orphan with nowhere to go, the one who had always been family, who they'd always loved, little Alex, was growing up.

Alex looked around the carriage and saw the familiar face of Jack Barakat. Jack looked at Alex and smiled. Alex returned it. Alex couldn't help thinking about how good Jack was looking.

"He certainly does have a lovely smile. And look at his eyes! They are so big, so beautiful. Like little planets. And they're perfectly framed by his eyebrows. Oh my, those eyelashes! His hair looks awfully nice, today. Well, it always looks nice. It is perfect. He looks perfect. He _is_ perfe-" Alex stopped himself there. What was he thinking? Jack would never be his friend. They would never get along. Alex was probably just thinking those things about Jack because he was bored and had nothing else to do. Yes, that must be it. Bored.

When Alex arrived at his boarding house he noticed another boy who he thought he had seen on the train. The boy was tall but not as tall as Alex. He had dark hair and bright blue eyes. He boy smiled at Alex and what a nice smile it was 'but Jack's is nicer' Alex thought before stopping himself.

"Hello," the boy said, still smiling.

"Uh, hi," Alex smiled back, trying not to seem as awkward as he felt.

"My name is Misha Collins."

"Hi Misha," Alex replied.

"And you are?"

"Oh, sorry! I'm Alex. Alex Gaskarth. Nice to meet you," Alex extended a hand to the boy who shook it politely.

"So you'll be staying here too?" Misha asked.

"Yeah. Where are you from, Misha?"

"Carmody."

"Carmody? I live just past there, in Avonlea."

The conversation continued naturally and Alex felt like this Misha-boy was alright. Well, better than alright, he was great. Alex learnt that Misha was in the second year class, too, and that his family was American but they had lived on Prince Edward Island for three years and before that they lived in Nova Scotia.

Another boy came an hour after Misha and Alex. This one was short and had messy, red hair. He had an English accent which he explained was because he had grown up in England and only moved to Canada a year earlier. This boy's name was Ed Sheeran. Ed loved music and played guitar. Ed wanted to one day become a music teacher. He was in the first year class. Alex learnt a lot about his new friends and made new ones through them.

Soon they became a small group of friends. There were eleven of them in the group so it wasn't _that _small. There was Alex, Misha, Ed, Jensen, Stella, Tina, Jaime, Vic, Kellin, Dan and Phil. Dan was from Carmody and he and Misha were best friends, growing up. Dan had black hair that reminded Alex of Jack but it was a bit shorter. Dan had big brown eyes. He looked a lot like his boyfriend, Phil, but Phil had blue eyes. Kellin was a boy in Ed's class with black hair and blue eyes but his hair wasn't as straight as Dan and Phil's. Kellin grew up with two boys named Jaime and Vic. Vic had long black hair, big brown eyes and smiled a lot. Jaime had black hair that stuck up in different directions and he had dimples. Jaime had a girlfriend named Tina who was funny and got along well with everyone, especially Misha. Tina's best friend was Stella who Misha claimed Ed was in love with. Lastly there was Jensen. Jensen had short brown hair and green eyes. He was extremely good looking and Misha practically worshiped the ground he walked on. It was no secret that Misha was dead gone over Jensen but Alex suspected that Jensen liked Misha as well.

Alex loved his new school life. He was still competing against Jack in class but the rivalry was now just a common goal shared by two acquaintances who want to succeed. Alex would use Jack's achievements as motivation to do better because Alex knew that he could do whatever Jack could just as well. Alex did have another aim, though. He had found a student would win the gold medal and another would get an Avery Scholarship. Alex hoped to win the scholarship so as not to waste Marilla and Rian's funds on four years of university.

* * *

_A lot of time passes in the next chapter and I couldn't think of a good name so it is called Jealousy._


End file.
